Poor School Infrastructure Contributes to the Lack of Quality Education in the Caribbean

Are the students of the Caribbean Islands suffering from a lack of quality education? Experts would say they are. Likewise, the experts concur that the schools’ infrastructures are not conducive to a positive learning experience. Many say that needs to change right away. 

How School Infrastructures Affect Learning 

A building is a building, right? Not so- in the Caribbean. You see, the tourist life is filled with decadence and beauty. But the lives of the children growing up in the inner islands are anything but comfortable. What's more, their education and subsequent adult lives are suffering. Here are some factors- on a broad scale- that contribute to the poor education many young minds receive in the Caribbean Islands. 

• A severe lack of proper heating and cooling systems causes students to be unfocused and generally miserable. 

• Windows are sealed shut, and the air is stagnant. 
• Desks are bolted to many schools' floors, stifling teacher creativity and community learning. 
• The children cannot see the beauty outside the windows of some schools. This limits their creativity and more. 

What Does a Positive School Infrastructure Do for the Students? 

To bring buildings up to the quality needed will take many changes to educate future generations of Caribbean men and women properly. Here is what experts say a positive school infrastructure would do for the students. 

1. Inclusive facilities would ensure all children have access to an education regardless of gender, financial status, and disability. 
2. Emphasis on essential health and safety through temperature control, indoor air quality, proper hygiene, adequate lighting, and protection from the elements would drastically increase retention and growth. 
3. Flexible learning spaces would bring the schools to current education standards with skills learning objectives, teamwork, and student collaboration. 

For some, this opportunity for proper education and to remain safe during the day could be a life game-changer. The Caribbean schools need these changes, the students desperately need these adjustments, and future generations require drastically improved Caribbean school infrastructures. 

CITED: theCaribbeannewsnow.com, worldbank.org